Fort Worth Zoning Ordinance

Article 2. Off-Street Parking And Loading

6.200 General Requirements

1. Applicability
   Nothing in this Article shall require additional parking spaces to be furnished for an existing building that is repaired, altered, maintained, or modernized, where no structural alterations are made and the size of the building is not increased.
   COMMENTARY:

   For parking requirements in the “AG”, “CF”, “MH”, ”A”, “AR”, “B”, “R1”, “R2” and “ER” Districts, see the “Other Development Standards” section for the district.

2. Enlargement or Change in Use
   1. For existing buildings that are enlarged, additional parking spaces shall be required for the enlarged portion only.
   2. Parking spaces furnished for a building constructed prior to March 1, 1953, that are in excess of the requirements for the building under the provisions of Ordinance 3041, may be counted toward the additional spaces required for a change in use, expansion of an existing use or a new building on the premises.
   3. When the occupancy of any building is changed to another use, parking shall be provided to meet the requirements of this Article for the new use.
   4. Nothing in this Article shall require the furnishing of additional parking spaces for existing buildings which are not enlarged or changed to a new use.
3. Plan Required
   Where off-street parking is required, except for one-, two-, three-, or four-family dwellings, a plan approved by the City Traffic Engineer, showing the location and arrangement of spaces, shall be furnished to the Planning and Development Department, accompanied by sufficient proof of ownership, lease or other arrangement as will show that the spaces contemplated will be permanent.  Any future changes in parking arrangements must be approved by the Planning and Development Department.
4. District “H” Exempt from Parking Requirements
   No off-street parking shall be required for development in the “H” District.

6.201 Off-Street Parking Requirements

1. Calculation of Parking
   1. Where permanent seating is not provided in any public assembly area, the occupant load shall be computed in accordance with the appropriate section of the Building Code in effect at time of occupancy, except as otherwise specifically provided in this Ordinance.
   2. All parking requirements applying to a stated unit of measurement shall be understood to include a parking space for each unit or fraction thereof.
2. Required Off-Street Parking
   1. Minimum Parking Requirements: The following table establishes the minimum parking requirements for uses located in residential zoned property or within two hundred fifty feet (250') of One or Two-Family zoned property.  For all other uses, no minimum parking spaces shall be required.
   2. Maximum Parking Requirements: The maximum number of parking spaces shall not exceed 125% of the minimum parking requirement for all uses listed in the table set out below.  Parking in excess of the maximum shall be allowed by meeting the requirement of one tree above the minimum required under Chapter 6, Article 3, for every additional ten (10) parking spaces beginning with the first additional parking space and for each ten (10) spaces thereafter.

6.202 Parking Lot Design Standards

1. Space Size
   The following minimum standards shall apply to the width and length of parking spaces.

* Parking spaces adjacent to landscape areas may project into the landscape area and be reduced to 16 feet in length when separated from the landscape area by curbing or approved wheel stops.

2. Angle Parking Size
   The standards for the minimum width of parking spaces plus the aisle are shown in the following table.  These standards apply to a single row of head-in parking or two rows of head-in parking sharing an aisle.  See the illustrations on the following page.

3. Driveways
   1. When driveways are less than 20 feet in width, marked separate entrances and exits shall be provided so that traffic shall flow in one direction only.
   2. Entrances and exits to an alley may be provided if prior approval is obtained in writing from the Transportation and Public Works Department.
   3. The location of ingress and egress driveways shall be subject to approval of the City Traffic Engineer under curb cut or laid down curb permit procedures.
   4. Except for Unified Residential development in accordance with Section 6.506, driveways designated as fire lanes shall meet the standards of the Fire Code.
4. Maneuvering Space
   1. Maneuvering space shall be located completely off the right-of-way of a public street, place or court, except for on-street parking approved by the Traffic Engineer.
   2. Parking areas that would require the use of public right-of-way for maneuvering shall not be acceptable as required off-street parking spaces other than for one- and two-family dwellings, except for on-street parking approved by the Traffic Engineer.
   3. Parking parallel to the curb on a public street shall not be substituted for off-street parking requirements, except as provided for in an MU-1 or MU-2 Mixed-Use District.
5. Parking Surface
   Drives and parking spaces, except for one- and two-family dwellings, must be hard-surfaced and dust free, except in instances where the adjacent street is unpaved, in which case the drives and parking spaces shall be hard-surfaced within one year after all adjacent streets are paved.
6. Off-Site Auxiliary Parking
   If sufficient parking is not available on the premises, a private parking lot may be provided within 500 feet, either on property zoned for that purpose or on approval as a special exception by the Board of Adjustment subject to the following conditions:
   1. The parking must be subject to the front yard setback requirements of the district in which it is located.
   2. The parking area must be hard surfaced and dust free (except as provided in 6.202E. above).
      COMMENTARY: For additional restrictions on auxiliary parking in the “ER” District, see Section 4.900D.
   3. A minimum 6-foot screen fence and bufferyard must be provided on all sides adjacent to a residential district in accordance with Section 6.300.
   4. Area lights must be directed away from adjacent properties.
   5. The lot, if adjacent to a residential district, must be chained and locked at night.
7. Accessible Parking
   1. Number of Spaces Required.  When parking lots or garage facilities are provided, either in accordance with parking requirements or voluntarily, accessible parking spaces shall be provided according to the table below, except for the following uses:
      • For general and long term hospitals, nursing and care homes, and philanthropic medical care uses, any of which specializes in the treatment of persons with mobility impairments, 20 percent of the parking spaces provided shall be accessible.
      • For offices, professional and commercial uses, eleemosynary institutions, and doctors’ clinics, any of which provides outpatient medical care, ten percent of the parking spaces provided shall be accessible.
      • For multifamily dwellings and apartment hotels containing accessible or adaptable dwelling units as specified by the Building Code, two percent of the parking spaces shall be accessible.  Where parking for such uses is provided within or beneath a building, accessible parking spaces shall also be provided within or beneath the building.
        

2. Variances.  The Board of Adjustment’s authority is limited to considering variances from the number of accessible parking spaces and van accessible parking spaces required.  Accessible parking spaces, van accessible parking spaces, and passenger loading zones shall be located and installed as specified in the Building Code.  Variances, as to these items, must be addressed through the process described in the Building Code.
3. Restriping Parking Areas.  When parking areas are restriped, the provisions of this Paragraph shall apply.  When restriping is done voluntarily to existing parking for the purpose of installing accessible spaces, City staff may allow a reduction in the number of parking spaces required by this Section in accordance with the table below when necessary to provide the accessible spaces.  Plans for the restriping must be submitted to the Planning and Development Department for review and approval before work begins.
   

6.203 Off-Street Loading Facilities

1. Applicability
   All buildings (except one-family, two-family, three-family or four-family dwellings) hereafter erected, reconstructed or enlarged so as to require additional parking spaces, except in District “H”, shall have adequate permanent off-street facilities providing for the loading and unloading of merchandise and goods within or adjacent to the building, in such a manner as not to obstruct the freedom of traffic movement on the public rights-of-way. 
2. Loading Facility Design Standards
   1. The minimum distance from the loading dock to the right-of-way line shall be 60 feet. Such space shall be submitted on a plan and approved by the Director of Traffic Engineering and the Planning and Development Department. 
   2. The minimum distance above may be reduced by the approval of the Director of Traffic Engineering and the Planning and Development Department under unusual circumstances. 
   3. Loading space shall be in addition to all required vehicular parking.
   4. All loading facilities shall be screened in accordance with Section 6.301D.

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